Saturday, June 22, 2013

I have a question for you. Do you consider yourself a creative person?
When I ask that question to a group of people, some will nod their heads and say – yes I am pretty creative. Others will shake their heads and say nope – not a creative bone in my body.
We can all look around us and see the results of the creativity of others – incredible art work, music, sewing, knitting, weaving, architecture, gardening and have lots of admiration for people who are so creative.
I appreciate the arts but …. I don’t give myself any time to learn or improve my artistic endeavours. I am more like – jump in and see what happens.
Every year we do Ukrainian Easter eggs with our family and friends. When we first started, we would invite some of my children’s friends over so they could learn how to do it. I would always take time to re-iterate that each person’s egg would look different and that it takes some practice to get the results you are looking for because I could see them admiring the eggs we collected over the years in the big glass bowl on the table.
Every person at the table had a different approach. The first thing my daughter did was spend a few minutes, examining each egg, seeing the shapes and sizes until she found one that she wanted. Then she would sit quietly looking at the egg, in the silence and I could see that she is in the process of imaging what she was going to create. Her results are always beautiful, imaginative, colourful - it takes her hours to do one egg.
When we visit art galleries, art shows, look at craft magazines, peruse hardware stores we can see and appreciate the incredible things people create.
And we can decide we are not the creative type and we put it aside.
The truth is, true creativity is not something we can put aside.
It’s not like saying I’m not good at bike riding so I am not going to ride a bike. Or that I’m not good at baking bread so I won’t do it.
The fact is that we are ALL creative beings. We cannot give up or put aside our creativity. It’s part of our divine nature. We are all creating all the time. Every moment of the day. And the scary part is, most of the time we are unaware that we are doing this. So our creations are unconscious, haphazard and often happen by default.
Right now, in this moment, and each day, we are living – experiencing - the results of the creations of our pasts. Because we create not only with our hands and bodies – we create with our thoughts.
The power of our thought cannot be overestimated. It is through our thoughts that we create the experience of our world. Thoughts and feelings linked with the power of the word is a mighty tool to change our experience of the world and to manifest what we want.
We affect our environment all the time with our thoughts. In science, it’s been proven that someone observing an experiment has an effect on it, the results are different when it is unobserved.
So don’t you think it would be a good thing to recognize this? That we are creating all the time and to be more conscious of what we are doing, certainly more careful with the power that we wield every moment of the day.
This creative power can be used consciously or unconsciously. When we drive a car we are careful and paying close attention to our decisions and movements. Think of what would happen if we drove without that attention – disaster.
We want to use our creative power consciously and constructively, not absent mindedly or carelessly.
There are no limits to our creativity. A hundred years ago it was impossible to predict or imagine what was possible in the future and it still is – why is that? Because there is no limit on what a human being can think about and bring into reality. There is no limit because our minds are linked with Infinite Mind. Yes, infinite!
God Mind is Infinite and we are not just connected to it – which implies we could be disconnected from it – but more like fully integrated with that Mind. When we say Divine Mind – it is Head and Heart, not intellect only. Divine Mind encompasses all our wisdom which includes our heart wisdom.
How do things come into manifestation? How is it that there is nothing and then there is something? Sometimes things seem so complex and intricate, that we forget that everything that comes into being – whether it is a dog house or a garden bed or a new kind of software – follows a creative process.
We can do it on our own – by the seat of our pants. And what I have noticed when I do that is that my “creations” fall apart, or don’t last long or don’t produce what I was looking for. That’s the ‘human doing’ way to create.
And then there is the divine process of creation that is laid out for us. I call it snap, crackle, pop.
The first step in creation is consciously connecting with the divine – with God – with infinite Spirit – whatever name you want to give it. It is the “Let there be Light” step. Light represents – a flash of illumination – Snap!
Whether it is to discover a cure for arthritis or dig a new garden bed, we start with Infinite Source – with God. After we have tapped into Divine Mind then the ‘crackle’ begins – that’s our part. Everything that comes into being comes through us – we are God’s eyes, ears, feet and hands.
It is our job to take this divine idea and “see” it, visualize it – this is what my daughter was doing when she was looking at the egg – before she picked up any tools – she was planting the image of it in her mind.
When we can see it – then we know what to do next. And again – this can be for creating a flower arrangement, a floor plan for a new home, a new relationship – everything.
Then we take the next step and start the ‘doing’. Pop. Bringing it into manifestation. Now the idea has form that we can experience. We can see it. What started in divine mind has worked through us and out into our world.
Let’s be conscious about our creative power. Let’s pay attention to what we are bringing into manifestation. Right now we are creating our future – let’s “take care” that we follow a Spirit Led, Spirit Fed creation process.

Monday, June 3, 2013

When I started taking classes to become a Licensed Unity Teacher, I was ‘forced’ to take biblical studies.
I did so unwillingly. Why did I have to study these stories that had nothing to do with me, that happened thousands of years ago, to people on the other side of the world.
We started with the Old Testament stories and one thing I noticed was that
some of the most amazing and well known stories were about people – just regular people – like me. They didn’t start off wanting to accomplish great tasks or go down in history.
Most of them, when they heard the ‘voice’ of God did not say – sure OK God – I’ll get right to it. God actually had to come and yank them by the collar to get their attention.
And I think this same thing happens to us too.
We too are called – how is God trying to get our attention?
It might not be a burning bush - it could be that still small voice.
It could be a storm in your life.
It could be through serendipitous circumstances that you cannot ignore.
But over the years I have learned to listen – to pay attention – to say ‘yes’.
Like Noah …… not really sure why ……… I can’t see the whole picture. But the message is unmistakable. Noah is a great example of listening and following the instructions despite criticism by those around him. And because he listened to God we now have this profound wisdom that I would like to share.
10 Lessons from Noah's Ark
One: Don't miss the boat.
Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
Six: Build your future on high ground.
Seven: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.
Ten: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
At the end of all these stories of success and accomplishment there is always great celebration & expression of gratitude.
And we all know how important the expression of gratitude is. Giving thanks & expressing gratitude shifts our perspective….. on our lives, on the world, on everything!
And then there is the spiritual practice of giving thanks in advance which requires faith.
In Hebrews 11:1 we read: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Jesus did not say – thank you for making this bread enough to feed 5,000 people - he just said thank you.
Before Jesus went into Lazarus’ tomb he did not say – thank you for bringing Lazarus back to life. He said thank you Father that you have heard me.
Are we willing to step out in faith and give thanks for what we have not yet seen?
What happens when we do that? Saying thank you takes us out of worry. We cannot say thank you & be anxious at the same time.
Giving thanks before we see the gift puts us in a position of receptivity. We are open to the good……..to possibilities.